Delaware River bridge toll hike hurts businesses, protesters contend

Friday

Jun 24, 2011 at 12:01 AM

Alan LaFiura, the plastics reprocessing company's president, said that if he knew then what he knows now — that tolls would rise 500 percent in 23 years — he never would have moved the company to Portland.

MICHAEL SADOWSKI

Ultra-Poly Corp. moved to Portland in 1988, when tolls for trucks to cross the Delaware River from New Jersey cost $4.

Now Alan LaFiura, the plastics reprocessing company's president, said that if he knew then what he knows now — that tolls would rise 500 percent in 23 years — he never would have moved the company here.

"We're paying $2,000 a week in tolls," he said, "and $100,000 a year. That's three or four jobs right there."

LaFiura is one of the local businesses trying not just to protest a planned toll hike taking effect later this month, but to flat-out abolish the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

The toll rate for cars will jump a quarter from 75 cents to $1, with discounts for commuters using

E-ZPass. The daytime rate for seven-axle trucks, the most expensive toll, will rise from $22.75 to $28.

The new toll rates will take effect at 11:01 p.m. June 30.

LaFiura said the commission discourages businesses from moving into the area and could chase existing ones away.

"I can make a list of positives and negatives about the commission," said LaFiura. "You'd have 25 negatives, and no positives. It doesn't do anyone any good. It's got to end."

LaFuira, whose company employes 70 people, isn't alone. Northampton County Councilman Ron Angle also wants to get rid of the commission, calling it outdated and accusing it of unnecessary projects.

"When (the commission) was formed in 1932, it was supposed to free the bridges when the tolls had created enough money to take care of the bridges in perpetuity," he said. "That happened, but the commission interprets that as when it gets out of debt, so it keeps bringing on projects so it never gets out of debt. If these bridges were freed, imagine what it can do to our economy?"

State Rep. Joe Emrick, who organized Thursday's event, which overlooked the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge, called on the commission to delay enacting the toll hike for one year. He wants the commission to hold public hearings and take public input before any increase.

He said it won't be just people that use the bridge that feel the toll hike, but everyone in the vicinity of the bridges.

"Since truckers and trucking companies pay more for tolls, they will pass on those price increases to the stores that distribute the goods," leading to an increase for the consumer, he said.

Bridge commission spokesman Pete Peterson, in an e-mail responding to Emrick's remarks, said the toll increase was delayed as long as possible and is necessary to pay debts and make infrastructure improvements, including projects to reduce traffic congestion. "The commission would not be adjusting its tolls unless it absolutely had to," he said.

"The commission approved car rates of $1 and $1.25 for its toll bridges 10 years ago and held public hearings at that time. After those hearings, the commission decided to adopt a uniform 75-cent toll structure with the expectation that a $1 toll would be needed at a future date to meet bond payments and continue its capital improvement program," Peterson said. "We have reached that point in time."

Emrick said 84 percent of all commission revenue comes from the three Northampton County toll bridges — Portland, between Easton and Phillipsburg, and Interstate 78 in Easton — and the Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge. Monroe County's only toll bridge accounts for 28 percent of all revenue.

State Rep. Mario Scavello, a former New York City commuter, said that discrepancy doesn't make sense when 10 of the 12 commission-run bridges south of the Lehigh Valley are free.

"If you need some extra revenue, put a toll both up on those free ones," Scavello said. "Don't put this all on our backs. No matter what anyone says, this is a tax."

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